Carton or carton cover of rigid sheet material with handle

ABSTRACT

A carton has a bottom, side walls and top. A strap handle is attached to both sidewalls and extends over the top. The handle fits into slots that extend from the side wall into the top. The handles are attached to the side wall below these slots. The ends of the slots have enlarged areas that retain the handle as it extends through the slot. The enlarged areas can be any number of different shapes.

The present invention relates to a carton or a carton cover of sheetmaterial such as flat board, corrugated board or an equivalent,relatively rigid material, including lateral faces and an upper face.

It also relates to a blank for making up such a carton or such a cover,and a method of manufacturing such a carton or such a cover with handle.

It finds a particularly important though non-exclusive application inthe field of parallelepipedal cartons or ones more generally ofpolygonal horizontal cross-section, made from double-faced corrugatedboard and intended to contain fairly heavy products possibly ranging toseveral kilograzes, such as bottles of water for example, and includingan upper face perpendicular to the lateral faces of the carton,therefore forming a cover at right angles to these faces.

Handle systems for transporting parallelepipedal cartons are alreadyknown. In general they involve lateral orifices cut out for example twothirds of the way up the carton in two opposing lateral faces. The userthen grips the carton with the whole hand through the said orifices inorder to carry it.

Such a system has drawbacks. In fact it requires an internal reinforcingband glued above the orifices in order to prevent the ripping of thematerial, this being expensive and complicated to implement.

Moreover the user must carry the carton with two hands, this beingimpractical.

Systems are also known having attached handles made for example fromplastic or metal which are hooked onto a cord, a twine or a band whichthen completely surrounds the carton.

This system is however complicated to implement and prevents thepalletizing of the cartons. The latter can in fact no longer be overlaidgiven the projections exhibited by the handles and/or twines surroundingthe cartons.

The present invention aims to provide a carton or a carton cover, blanksand a process for manufacturing a carton or a carton cover with handlewhich is a better answer than those previously known to the practicaldemands in particular in that it proposes a simple, strong, inexpensivehandle favouring the palletizing of the cartons and allowing thetransporting by a user of a carton possibly containing a relativelyheavy and bulky product, with a single hand.

For this purpose, the invention essentially proposes a carton, or acover, of sheet material including lateral faces and an upper face,characterized in that the said carton or the said cover includes atleast two frangible or slotted regions situated respectively either sideof the carton or of the cover straddling the join lines between theupper face and two opposing lateral faces, the said regions eachextending either side of the said join lines on the one side in theupper face and on the other side in the said corresponding opposinglateral face, over determined distances and in that it includes anattached elongate handle fixed on each side to the said opposing lateralfaces, beneath the regions with respect to the upper face, the handleextending opposite the regions and opposite the portion of the upperface situated between the said regions, so that, when the handle ispulled substantially perpendicularly to the upper face, the handle sinksinto the said regions.

Advantageously, the upper face forms an angle with the lateral faces atthe level of the join lines between the said upper face and the saidlateral faces, for example a right angle.

In advantageous embodiments, one and/or other of the followingprovisions is resorted

the elongate handle is a flexible band;

the fixing of the handle to the lateral faces is done by glueing;

the length of the elongate handle between its points of fixing to thelateral faces, is equal or substantially equal to the sum of thedistances between on the one hand the said points of fixing and the joinlines of the corresponding lateral faces and on the other hand the widthof the carton between the said join lines, so that the elongate handlecan move between a first position, when flat, in which it hugs theoutline of the carton and a second position, for grasping, partlydistanced from the cover, in which it is sunk into the said regions;

the upper face is perpendicular to the lateral faces;

the regions are slots forming notches;

the regions are identical;

the developed shape, that is to say when flat, of the region in thedirection perpendicular to the join line, is rectangular;

the developed shape of the region in the direction perpendicular to thejoin line, includes a central part able to form a central slitstraddling, and perpendicular to, the join line, the said central partterminating on either side in widened parts which are symmetrical withrespect to the said join line;

the central slit is triangular, with vertex pointing towards the upperface;

the central slit exhibits two concave sides with radius of curvaturepointing outwards from the slit;

the central slit is rectangular;

the widened parts are transverse slits perpendicular to the centralslit;

the widened parts are shaped substantially as an isosceles trapezoidwhose large base points outwards from the region;

the developed shape of the region in the direction perpendicular to thejoin line, comprises a widened central part separated by narrow regionswith the two likewise widened end parts;

the end border of the regions on the side of the upper face is roundedwith an outwards pointing convexity that is to say, having a radius ofcurvature directed towards the interior of the region in question;

the determined distance b between the lower end border of the region andthe join line between the upper face and corresponding lateral face, andthe distance a between the upper end border of the region and the saidjoin line are linked by the following relation:

    b/4≦a≦4b

the carton is of polygonal horizontal cross-section;

is characterized in that:

the lateral faces are connected together by way of first mutuallyparallel fold lines, and

the upper face consists of inner flaps and outer flaps, the said flapsbeing connected respectively to the said lateral faces by second foldlanes orthogonal to the said first fold lines, each inner flap beingsecured to a lateral face which lies between two lateral facesrespectively furnished with outer flaps;

the frangible or slotted regions are situated in the prolongation of thejoin line or space between opposing flaps whose opposite borders are theopposing borders closest to the upper face;

the frangible or slotted regions extend parallel to the opposite bordersof the flaps furthest from the upper face;

the carton exhibits a widened central slit between peripheral bordersfacing the flaps, square with and parallel to the handle, allowingeasier grasping of the said handle by a user;

the regions are laid out so as to allow the elongate handle to bear onthe products arranged inside the carton.

The invention also proposes a blank of corrugated board or similar sheetmaterial for making a cover or a carton, the said blank including:

a string of rectangular panels connected together by first parallel foldlines; and

a first assembly of lateral flaps arranged on one side of the saidstring of panels, connected to this string by second fold linesperpendicular to the said first fold lines and intended to form theupper face of the said carton or of the said cover, the said firstassembly of lateral flaps including inner flaps for forming the innerpart of the said upper face and outer flaps for forming the outer partof the said upper face;

characterized in that

it includes at least two frangible or slotted regions respectivelystraddling and centred laterally on the second fold lines of twonon-adjacent flaps termed first flaps, intended to form two opposingflaps of the upper face of the carton or the cover, the said regionseach extending either side of the said second corresponding fold lineover determined distances.

In advantageous embodiments, one and/or other of the followingprovisions is moreover resorted to:

the first flaps are the inner flaps;

the first assembly of flaps comprising four flaps, the other two flapsof the said first assembly termed second flaps, include facingperipheral borders exhibiting at their end slots or frangible parts ableto be superimposed with the said regions of the first two flaps.

The invention also proposes a blank comprising a series of panelsseparated in pairs by first fold lines and able to at least partlyenvelop the product to be packed in order to form the upper face and twolateral faces of a carton or of a cover, the said panels being furnishedon either side with lateral flaps intended to form two other lateralfaces of the carton or of the cover, characterized in that it includesat least two frangible or slotted regions one the prolongation of theother, respectively straddling two first fold lines situated betweenthree consecutive panels.

In an advantageous embodiment, one of the end panels of the series is aglueing tab, one of the frangible or slotted regions straddles the firstfold line situated between the said tab and the adjacent panel, and theother end panel includes a complementary, frangible or slotted regionfacing, once the carton is formed, the said region of the tab.

Advantageously, the regions exhibit shapes and dimensions of the type ofthose described with reference to the above cartons.

Also advantageously, the invention proposes an assembly comprising ablank of the above type furnished with an attached flat band fixed toits ends respectively on two of the panels, either side of the tworegions, and extending opposite the regions and opposite the panelsituated between the said regions parallel to and substantially incontact with, that is to say hugging the surface of the said panel.

The invention also proposes a process for manufacturing cartons orcovers such as described above.

Advantageously, the invention proposes a process for manufacturing acarton or a carton cover with handle of the type described above, inwhich is formed the carton in which the product to be packaged isplaced, the said process being characterized in that

a first end of the handle is glued underneath a first region,

the handle is unwound while applying it to the lateral faces, and theupper face, opposite the said regions, and

the other end of the handle is glued underneath the other facing region,so that the elongate handle can move between a first position, whenflat, in which it hugs the outline of the carton, and a second position,for grasping, partly distanced from the cover, in which it is sunk intothe said regions.

In advantageous embodiments, the invention also proposes a process inwhich:

the walls and the bottom of the carton are formed, the cartonsubsequently being filled with the products to be packaged, and

the previously glued-on flaps are folded over the products in order toform the cover;

the carton being designed in order to exhibit a widened central slitbetween facing peripheral borders of the outer flaps of the cover, whichare parallel to the handle;

the inner cover flaps (7) corresponding to the regions are firstlyfolded over, and then the handle is glued and applied to the said flaps,and the outer flaps (9') are next folded over;

the handle is previously set in place and glued on the blank when flat,before forming the said carton from the said blank.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description whichfollows of particular embodiments given by way of non-limiting example.

The description refers to the drawings which accompany it and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a cartonaccording to the invention before installing a handle.

FIG. 2 is a view of the same carton after installing a flexible handlein the form of a band glued to the opposing lateral faces and before atension is exerted on the said handle.

FIG. 3 shows the carton of FIG. 2 after tensioning the handle.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the regionaccording to the invention, here in the form of a rectangular notch.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views showing another embodiment of acarton according to the invention, in the case where the handle isinstalled on the lateral faces corresponding to the large flaps, beforeinstalling the handle (FIG. 5) and after installing the handle andtensioning the latter (FIG. 6).

FIGS. 7 to 10 show perspective views of another embodiment according tothe invention, in the case where the handle is installed over the smallflaps and under the large flaps (FIGS. 7 and 8), before closing theselatter (FIG. 9) and tensioning the handle (FIG. 10).

FIG. 11 gives various embodiments of regions according to the invention.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are diagrams showing the shape of a handle in section,after tensioning, according to the embodiment of the invention moreparticularly described here, as well as the distribution of the loads.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show in perspective another embodiment of a cartonaccording to the invention, before and after installing a band-shapedhandle.

FIGS. 16 to 23 show various embodiments of blanks according to theinvention.

FIGS. 24 and 25 show, in perspective, a carton according to anotherembodiment of the invention, before and after installing the handle.

FIG. 26 shows another embodiment of a blank according to the invention.

FIGS. 27 and 28 show "blank plus handle" assemblies, made up directlywhen flat, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 29 shows a pre-folded blank for forming an American carton, such asconventionally delivered, furnished with a handle according to theinvention.

FIG. 30 shows the American carton formed from the blank of FIG. 29.

FIG. 1 shows a parallelepipedal carton 1 made from double-facedcorrugated board, for example 5 mm thick, for bottles of water,including a bottom 2, four lateral faces, namely two small faces 3 andtwo large faces 4, separated from one another by first fold lines 5, andan upper face 6, composed of two small inner flaps 7 (shown by brokenlines in FIG. 1) connected respectively to the small lateral faces 3 bysecond fold lines 8, and of two large outer flaps 9 connectedrespectively to the large lateral faces 4 by second fold lines 10.

The carton includes two regions 11 in the form of slots which areidentical, for reasons of symmetry, and which correspond to the secondfold lines 8, straddling the said lines and extending either side in thelateral face and the cover.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the two large flaps are substantiallymutually adjoining at the level of their outer peripheral border 13, inthe closed position, the slots therefore being formed on the one hand bya cutout 12 in the lateral faces 3 and the inner flaps 7, and on theother hand by symmetrical notches 13a made on either side on the ends ofthe peripheral borders 13 of the large flaps 9, the said notches beingable to be overlaid on each side over the contour of the portion ofcutout 12 made in the inner flaps 7.

The slots 11 are thus formed opening directly onto the inside of thecarton 1.

More precisely, the slots 11 here comprise a central, rectangular slit14, for example 5 mm thick and 5 cm long, straddling the lines 8 and twoend parts 15 shaped substantially as isosceles trapezoids whose largebase is on the outside of the slot, the said end parts being for examplearranged symmetrically with respect to the fold line 8.

The carton 1 (see FIG. 2) includes an elongate flexible handle 16 in theform of an inextensible flexible band of strong paper for examplemanufactured by the American company 3M.

This band advantageously includes a central preferential fold region,for example formed by a longitudinal central prefold facilitatingsinkage into the slots. It is for example of a width equal to orslightly less than the width of the large base of the end parts 15, andgreater than or slightly greater than the width of the slit 14, thisfacilitating its application to the outline of the carton beforetensioning.

The handle 16 is fixed at 17, underneath the regions 11 with respect tothe upper face by glueing, over a determined distance c which will beadjusted as a function of the quality of the adhesive and of the weightof the carton, for example over 2 cm to 8 cm.

It is arranged facing the slots 11 in a first position, when flat, inwhich it hugs the outline of the upper part 8 of the carton, above thepoints or regions of fixing 17.

The small width of the central slit 14 therefore allows an arrangementwith the band bearing on the outline of the carton in this embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 3 shows the same carton, after vertical or substantially verticaltensioning, at 19, of the handle 16.

The latter sinks at 20 at the level of the fold lines 8, into the slots11, this freeing a space 21 which will allow the grasping by a user ofthe handle which is thus partly distanced from the cover.

The glueing of the handle at its ends to the paper board carton issufficient to support the weight of the carton.

By contrast, when the user wishes to open the carton it is sufficientfor him to tear the points (or areas of glueing) 17 by pullingperpendicularly with respect to the lateral walls 3.

In what follows the same reference numbers will be used to designate thesame elements.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a carton 22 comprising a slot 23 inthe prolongation of the join line 13 between opposing large flaps 9. Theslot is here of rectangular shape with width identical to or slightlygreater than that of the band 16.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another embodiment of a carton 24 according to theinvention in which the two slots 25 are situated on the fold lines 10 ofthe large flaps 9.

In this case, it is not necessary to modify the other two flaps, in thisinstance the small flaps 7.

The handle 16 is then arranged as shown in FIG. 6, the ends of the bandbeing fixed at 26 to the face 4, beneath the slots 25.

FIGS. 7 to 10 show another carton embodiment 27 according to theinvention.

The carton comprises two slots 11 of the type of those described withreference to FIGS. 1 to 3 including two cutouts 12, on the fold lines 8corresponding to the small lateral faces 3 and to the small flaps 7.

The two large flaps 9' themselves comprise an external peripheral border13' furnished with symmetrical notches 13'a made either side on the endsof the border 13' and able to be overlaid on the contour of the portionof cutout 12 in the inner flaps 7, on each side.

The borders 13' moreover comprise a central, notched part 13'b, withcontours which are symmetrical with respect to the mid-lineperpendicular to the fold lines 10 of the carton, exhibiting a firstledge parallel to the line 13' at a first distance therefrom and asecond ledge parallel to the line 13' at a second distance therefrom,the said distance being greater than half the width of the band 16.

The latter (see FIG. 8) is glued at 17, as indicated with reference toFIG. 2, and stretched directly over the internal flaps 7.

The flaps 9' are next turned down over the band 16 (see FIG. 9) leavings central space 28 of greater width than the band 16 and allowing a userto thus easily grip the handle, as shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 shows, non limitingly, six different embodiments of the regionsaccording to the invention, which can be slots, or fragible regions, ora superposition of slots in the flaps for example and of frangibleregions in the walls or vice versa.

In FIG. 11, the fold lines 8 or 10 are portrayed chain dotted.

The shape of the region 30 is of the type of that described withreference to the preceding figures.

It includes a rectangular central slit 31 extending either side of thefold line and furnished with two end parts 32 which are symmetrical withrespect to the line 8 or 10. The two parts exhibit a trapezoidal ortriangular shape, the large bases 33 and 34 of which are situatedtowards the outside of the region.

Advantageously the base 34, on the cover side, is of rounded shape so asto improve the holding of the band on the said base 34, of widthsubstantially equal to, slightly larger than or slightly smaller thanthat of the band 16.

The region 35 is itself rectangular, for example of slightly greaterwidth than that of the band 16 designed to sink therein.

The region 36 is similar to the region 30. It possesses a slit-shapedcentral part 37 and two end parts 38 which are perpendicular andsymmetrical with respect to the fold line, for example of width equal toor less than the central slit.

The region 39 exhibits a lock shape, with a substantially triangular orfrustoconical central slit 40 with vertex pointing towards the cover.

It includes two widened end parts, one trapezoidal or invertedtriangular (41) pointing towards the cover, and the other (42) in theshape of a rectangular slit parallel to the fold line.

The region represented at 43 exhibits two end parts 44 similar to theparts 32 of the region 30 and a widened central portion 45, for exampleoval.

The region 46 itself exhibits a slit 47, whose walls 48 are curved withan outwards pointing radius of curvature and terminate on either side intwo substantially identical widened end parts 49 of width greater thanor equal to that of the handle band 16.

FIG. 12 gives diagrammatically the distances existing between variousbearing points of a carton according to the invention, making itpossible in particular to adapt the dimensions of the regions as afunction of the products contained in the carton, especially whendesiring to make the ends of the regions, for example 33 and 34, whenreferring to the slit 30 of FIG. 11, coincide with the locations of theproducts on which it is wished to bear.

The distance a being fixed (for example owing to the location of thestopper of a bottle with which it is wished to make the line 34 of theregion coincide) and b being or not being conditioned by a bearing onthe wall of the said bottle, we have the relations

b=atanα₁

with ##EQU1## for ##EQU2## and ##EQU3## with L=width or length of thecarton and M=width of the user's hand.

FIG. 13 makes it possible to set up a simplified model of the stresseson the board, which allow those skilled in the art to size a and b as afunction of the weight of the products in the carton, the sheet materialused and the customary parameters to be taken into account when ensuringsufficient solidity of the handle.

The friction of the band at A and A' will be neglected, the weight ofthe carton being assumed to be distributed at B and B'. The tension P isregarded as applied at the centre of the handle, and the deformation ofthe board or of the sheet at A and at B is neglected.

It follows that: ##EQU4## with ##EQU5##

FIGS. 14 and 15 show another advantageous embodiment of a carton 50,with slot 51, a rectangular cutout in the small lateral faces 3 and inthe small inner flaps 7. The borders 13" of the large outer flaps 9" arehere a distance apart which is greater than the width of the band 16,for example equal to the width of the cutout 51.

In this case, a central notch 13"b in the peripheral border 13" isadvantageously provided so as to facilitate the seizure of the handle bya user.

Represented in FIGS. 16 to 23 are embodiments of blanks according to theinvention.

FIGS. 16 to 19 (see more particularly FIG. 17) show blanks 60, 61, 62,63 comprising four rectangular panels 64, namely two large panels 65 andtwo small panels 66 connected together by first parallel fold lines 67and comprising a glueing tab 68 at the end of one of the four panels.

An assembly 69 (termed the second assembly) of lateral flaps connectedto the string of panels by third fold lines 70 perpendicular to thefirst fold lines, is provided so as to form the bottom of the carton.

An assembly 71 (termed the first assembly) of lateral flaps arranged onthe other side of the panels, namely two large flaps 72 associated withthe two large panels and two small flaps 73 associated with the smallpanels, connected to the said panels by second fold lines, 74 and 75respectively, is provided so as to form the upper face of the carton.

The slots 30 are themselves, for example, situated on the lines 75between small panels and small flaps.

The small flaps are here substantially rectangular. The large flaps arethemselves likewise substantially rectangular and separated from thesmall flaps by spacings 76, known per se to allow formation of thecarton.

The large flaps comprise a peripheral lateral border 13 (FIG. 17) or 13'(FIG. 16) such as described above with reference to the cartons.

FIG. 18 itself shows a border 13" similar to the border 13 but in which,instead of being slotted, the end parts 13"a are simply perforated so asto constitute frangible regions which can be torn out when the handlesinks into the formed carton.

FIG. 19 shows another embodiment in which the slotted regions, hererectangular, are situated on the fold lines 74 of the large sides.

The peripheral external border of the other two flaps are sic! heresimply parallel to the third fold lines.

FIGS. 20 to 23 themselves show blanks 80 with eight panels, namely twolarge panels 81 and two small panels 82 and four cut zones 83, connectedtogether by parallel fold lines and a glueing tab 84, in order to formcartons with cut corners.

The panels for forming the lateral faces are furnished with lower flaps85 connected to the panel by fold lines so as to form the bottom of thecarton, and upper flaps 86, to form the cover, likewise connected byfold lines 87 perpendicular to the inter-panel fold lines.

Two upper flaps, for example those corresponding to the large panels,are furnished with an end border slanting outwards from the fold lines,to form the octagonal cover.

The other two small flaps are themselves furnished with regions inaccordance with the invention.

The peripheral border 13 of the large flaps is adapted accordingly, asdescribed above, for example with reference to FIG. 17.

FIG. 21 shows a blank 88 comprising regions according to the inventionon the join lines between large panels and large cover flaps, FIGS. 22and 23 showing blanks 89 and 90 corresponding to FIGS. 16 and 18 inrespect of four-panel blanks.

The manufacture of a carton will now be described according to oneembodiment of the invention, while referring more particularly to FIGS.7 to 10.

The carton 27 is formed in a manner known per se, for example around afixed mandrel as described in the document EP 334.707, starting from theblank of FIG. 16.

Once the carton has been formed, it is ejected and then filled with theintended products. The panels 7 (see FIG. 7) are next closed up, thepanels 9' being apart.

The band 16 is then fitted, by glueing a first end 17 to thecorresponding panel 3 and then taughtening the said band so as to makeit hug the shape of the carton up to the other end where it is likewisesimilarly glued, under light tension.

The band 16 is thus fully applied to the outside of the slots and hugsthe upper outline of the carton as shown in FIG. 8.

Next, the previously glued panels 9' are turned down and pressed ontothe internal panels 7 in order to effect the glueing.

The band 16 is therefore situated under the external panels 9', thispermitting perfect palletization, no nuisance projection appearing (seeFIG. 9).

When it is desired to take a grip on the carton, the band 16 is pulledat the middle, this causing the sinking of the band into the slots 11,or transverse cutouts, made in the edges of the carton, and thus allowssingle-handed transportation as described above.

FIGS. 24 and 25 show another embodiment of a carton 100 according to theinvention, starting from a blank 101 of the type described withreference to FIG. 26.

The blank comprises four panels 102 connected together by parallel foldlines 103. There are for example two rectangular panels 104 able to formthe two lateral walls of the carton and two octagonal panels 105 able toform the top and bottom of the carton.

The panels 105 comprise, on either side, rectangular flaps 107 in orderto form the external part of the lateral faces 106.

The panels 104 themselves comprise two adjoining parallel successiveflaps 108 and 109 able to form the cut comers 110 of the carton and theexternal parts of the lateral end faces 106.

The blank moreover comprises regions of the type of those describedabove, namely and for example a slotted region 111, straddling andcentred on the fold line 103 between the panel 104 and the panel 105able to form the upper face of the carton, a region 112 on the fold linebetween the said panel 105 and an end tab 113, for glueing, and acomplementary slot 114 on the external border 115 parallel to the lines103 of the opposing end panel.

The superpositioning of the slots 112 and 114 coincides with the slot111 when the blank is folded up to form the carton around the product.

Of course, the regions according to the invention can also be arrangedon the fold lines 116 between octagonal panel 105 and flaps.

The process for forming the carton represented in FIGS. 27 and 28 isperformed by the technique known as WRAP which consists in forming thecarton around the product as described for example in the documentEP-A-557-172.

The forming of the carton is next completed by glueing the handle,proceeding as follows:

a first end of the handle is glued underneath a first region 111,

the handle is unwound while applying it to the faces, and the upperface, opposite the said regions, and

the other end of the handle is glued underneath the other facing region,so that the elongate handle can move between a first position, whenflat, in which it hugs the outline of the carton, and a second position,for grasping, partly distanced from the cover, in which it is sunk intothe said regions.

FIG. 27 shows a blank 117, in the developed position (laid flat), of thetype described with reference to FIG. 19. The frangible or slottedregions 118, for example of the slots 30 type (see FIG. 11), are heresituated straddling, and in the middle of, the first fold lines 119 ofseparation between three consecutive panels 120, 121 and 122, namely twolarge panels 120 and 122 and a small panel 121 interposed between thetwo.

A band 123 of strong material and small thickness is fixed by its endsto the blank when flat, to the panels 120 and 122 respectively, oneither side of the regions 118, so as to extend in contact with andopposite the regions and the central part 124 of the panel 121, whichpart is situated between the said regions 118.

The fixing of the band is easily operated automatically at high speed,by cutting out and applying the band to the blanks. This is one of theadvantages of the invention.

FIG. 28 itself shows a blank 125 for cover including three panels,namely a central panel 126 forming the upper face of the cover, and twolateral panels 127, for forming two opposing lateral borders of thecover, the said panels being connected together in pairs by firstparallel fold lines 128. The blank moreover includes two series ofrectangular or substantially rectangular flaps, namely a first series129 connected to one side of the panels by second fold lines 130perpendicular to the first ones and a second series 131 connected to theother side of the panels by third fold lines 132, the said series offlaps being intended to constitute the other two opposing lateralborders of the cover after folding and glueing.

Frangible or slotted regions 133 of the type of the invention areprovided straddling and in the middle of the lines 128.

A band 134 is glued on either side of the slots on the panels 127 andextends freely in contact with and opposite the regions and the centralpart, situated between the slots, of the panel 126.

In one embodiment of the invention, be it either for a carton or acover, the length of the handle or of the band constituting it can belarger than the distance existing between the points or regions offixing on either side of the slots, the band then being folded up onitself, pleated, and held flat for example by light glueing of twoopposite faces of the pleated band, this so as to increase in particularthe space between the upper face of the carton or of the cover, and thedeployed handle. This can also facilitate the release of the handle bythe user when the latter grasps it.

FIGS. 29 and 30 show the use of the handle system 135 according to theinvention applied to a conventional American carton 136, deliveredpreglued and flat (FIG. 29), and which it suffices to erect by foldingup the flaps 137 and 138 whilst nesting them one under the other in amanner known per se, to form the bottom and/or the cover 139.

Such a carton is for example formed from the blank with prepared handleof the type described with reference to FIG. 27.

We claim:
 1. A carton formed from sheet material, comprising:first andsecond opposed lateral faces; an upper face connected between said firstand second lateral faces along first and second fold lines,respectively; an elongate handle having first and second ends, saidfirst end being fixed at a first fixation point to an outer surface ofsaid first lateral face, and said second end being fixed at a secondfixation point to an outer surface of said second lateral face; firstand second slotted regions defined respectively astride said first andsecond fold lines, each of said slotted regions extending on either sideof the respective one of said fold lines into said upper face and intothe respective one of said lateral faces; said handle being fixed tosaid lateral faces beneath said slotted regions and disposed along outersurfaces of said lateral and upper faces to extend over said slottedregions and the portion of said upper face disposed between said slottedregions, whereby upon pulling of said handle in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to said upper face, portions of said handlemove into said slotted regions.
 2. A carton according to claim 1,wherein said handle is a flexible band.
 3. A carton according to claim1, wherein said handle is fixed to said lateral faces by gluing.
 4. Acarton as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle has a length betweensaid first and second fixation points substantially equal to the sum ofthe lengths along said faces from said first fixation point to saidfirst fold line, said first fold line to said second fold line, and saidsecond fold line to said second fixation point.
 5. A carton according toclaim 1, wherein said upper face is perpendicular to said first andsecond faces.
 6. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said slottedregions are slot-forming notches defined into said faces.
 7. A cartonaccording to claim 1, wherein said first and second slotted regions aresubstantially identical.
 8. A carton according to claim 1, wherein saidslotted regions each define rectangular elongate slots oriented in thedirection perpendicular to said fold lines.
 9. A carton as defined inclaim 1, wherein each of said slotted regions define a central part forforming a central slit extending across a respective one of said foldlines, and first and second widened parts defined at each end of saidcentral slit, said widened parts being symmetrical with respect to saidfold line.
 10. A carton according to claim 9, wherein said central slitis triangular, having a vertex pointing towards said upper face.
 11. Acarton according to claim 9, wherein said central slit defines a pair ofconcave sides having radii of curvature pointing outwardly from saidslit.
 12. A carton according to claim 9, wherein said central slit isrectangular.
 13. A carton according to claim 9, wherein said first andsecond widened parts are each defined by a transverse slit disposedperpendicular to said central slit.
 14. A carton according to claim 9,wherein said first and second widened parts are each definedsubstantially by an isosceles triangle having a large base pointingoutwardly from said slotted region.
 15. A carton according to claim 9,wherein said central part includes a third widened portion definedastride said fold line.
 16. A carton according to claim 1, wherein saidfirst and second slotted regions each extend from said fold line intosaid upper face to a first end border at a distance a, and extend fromsaid fold line into said lateral face to a second end border at adistance b, and wherein a and b are related as:

    b/4≦a≦4b.


17. A carton according to claim 1, further comprising at least oneadditional lateral face interconnected with said first and secondlateral faces, wherein said carton defines a polygonal horizontalcross-section.
 18. A carton according to claim 17, wherein said upperface comprises first and second outer flaps, said first outer flap beingconnected along said first fold line to said first lateral face, saidsecond outer flap being connected along said second fold line to saidsecond lateral face, and an inner flap connected to each of saidadditional lateral faces along an additional fold line.
 19. A cartonaccording to claim 1, wherein the sheet material is corrugated board.20. A carton according to claim 19, wherein said corrugated boardincludes corrugations disposed perpendicular to said first and secondfold lines.
 21. A carton according to claim 1, wherein said carton isformed from a single, unitary blank.
 22. A carton according to claim 1,wherein said carton is formed from a supporting tray and a cover securedthereto, said first and second faces and said upper face being formedwithin said cover.
 23. A blank of sheet material for forming into acarton, comprising:a series of rectangular panels interconnected by aseries of first parallel fold lines; a series of flaps connected alongone side of said series of panels by a plurality of second fold lines toat least some of the rectangular panels, for forming an upper face forthe carton; first and second slotted regions defined respectivelyastride two of said second fold lines, said first slotted regionextending on either side of the respective one of said second fold linesinto one of said rectangular panels and into the one of said flapsadjacent thereto, and said second slotted region extending on eitherside of the respective one of said second fold lines into a non-adjacentone of said rectangular panels and into the one of said flaps adjacentthereto; each of said slotted regions defining a central part forforming a central slit extending across a respective one of said foldlines, and first and second widened parts defined at each end of saidcentral slit.
 24. A blank according to claim 23, wherein said widenedparts are symmetrical with respect to said fold line.
 25. A blankaccording to claim 23, wherein said central slit defines a pair ofconcave sides having radii of curvature pointing outwardly from saidslit.
 26. A blank according to claim 23, wherein said central slit isrectangular.
 27. A blank according to claim 23, wherein said first andsecond widened parts are each defined by a transverse slit disposedperpendicular to said central slit.
 28. A blank according to claim 23,wherein said first and second widened parts are each definedsubstantially by an isosceles triangle having a large base pointingoutwardly from said slotted region.
 29. A blank according to claim 23,wherein said central part includes a third widened portion definedastride said fold line.